Hospital Return Days

Returning to the hospital for unplanned care disrupts patients’ lives, increases their risk of harmful events like healthcare-associated infections, and costs more money. High quality care in the initial hospital stay can keep patients out of the hospital once they leave and cut down the days they stay in the hospital if they had to come back.

For patients who do return to the hospital for unplanned care within 30 days, the Hospital Return Days measures add up the days the patient was in an inpatient hospital unit, under observation, or in an emergency department.